Buddhist Temple of Chicago

The Buddhist Temple of Chicago (BTC) was founded by Rev. Gyomay M. Kubose on the South Side of Chicago as the Chicago Buddhist Church in October of 1944 as a non-sectarian temple with a new direction--the way of Oneness, a non-dualistic approach to Buddhism. In 1956 the Temple moved to the current address with the new name of Buddhist Temple of Chicago. As a uniquely independent temple, with no administrative ties to a headquarters of any other Buddhist sect, BTC has been free to express the Dharma teachings in a universal manner, encouraging the realization of the Suchness of all things and living fully in the Eternal Now. Although the founding members and succeeding generations are largely of Japanese descent, BTC was founded with the purpose of making Buddhism available to all Americans by presenting the teachings in Western terminology. Such teachings as the Six Paramitas, the Middle Path, Nembutsu, and Zen should be communicated in ways that can be easily understood and lived in everyday life. Still, there is no missionary spirit in Buddhism. Rather, the Buddhist way is for each individual to seek, learn and live his own unique, noble self.